In some cases a mesothelioma case may go to trial and a decision reached. Typically these decisions are open for appeal, so always check with your attorney if they are experienced in appellate cases and how many they have handled, as well as the results of the appeal.
Just because it's been years since you handled or worked around asbestos doesn't mean you don't have a claim against the manufacturer and other people who told you it was safe. Mesothelioma, an illness almost exclusively associated with asbestos, has a latency of up to 50 years. If you're diagnosed with Mesothelioma, it's time to look for an attorney.